Railroad-tie



R. H. SPENCER.

RAILROAD TIE.

APPLICATION FILED ocr. I5. 1919.

1 s 349, 1 7 1 Patented Aug. 10, 1920.

7 I I I IIIIII.

IN VEN TOR.

Raerl HAS/94912661' BY Q A TTORNEY PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT H; SPENCER, OF TRL'O'CK, CALIFORNIA.

RAILROAD-TIE.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Aug. 1Q, 1920.

.ilppl'caton filed October 15, 1919il Serial No. 330,885.

To, all 'ui/rom t muy concern:

lle it known that I, ROBERT H. SPENCER, a citizen ci the United States, residing at Turlock, in the county ogiffStanislaus, VState of California, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Railroad-Ties; and l do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the characters of reference marl/red thereon, which form a part of this application.

This invention relates to improvements in railroad ties, the principal object oi the invention being to produce a tie which will be non-vibrating, non-brealable, and practically iireproof.

Another object is to produce a tie which .as a whole will be practically everlasting,

and in which such destructible parts as are used may be easily replaced without the necessity of taking up the tie or replacing the same as a whole.

i' third object is to so construct the tie that when laid and surrounded with ballast it will not be liable to side slippage or lat-- eral displacement.

il wood is used in the construction of the only short lengths are needed, thus enabling me to utilize stoel: which would other wise be of no value, and which may naturally be obtained at a much lower cost than the standard lengths at present used, especially with the increasing scarcity or lumber.

A further object of the invention is to produce a simple and inexpensive device and yet one which will be exceedingly eftective -for the purposes for which it is designed.

These objects l accomplish by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts will fully appear by a perusal oiu i Lollowing specitlcation and claim.

ln the drawings similar characters of reierence indicate corresponding parts in the several views.

Figure l is a top plan view of my improved tie, showing` the rails positioned thereon.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same.

Fig. 3 is a cross section taken on a line oit Fig. 1. l

Fig. 4l is a similar view taken on a line e-l of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 3, but

showing the rail-bearing portion composed of two dilferent materials. n

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on the drawings the numerals l and la denote a pair of channel shaped members open at the top, and constructed oic pressed steel, galvanized or plain, each being substantially halt the standard length oi a tie. The adjacent ends 2 and'2a of the members l and ll overlap each other for a certain distance, while at this point the bottom portion 3 of each is cut lengthwise and centrally thereof as at 4: and the cut portions then bent upward to form ears 5 and 5f* on each or the members l and la respectively, which overlap each other inside the overlapping ends 2 and 2a.

bolt 6 passes through the ends 2 and 2"L and the ears 5 and 5gi thus firmly but flexibly connecting the two channels l and la to gether.

The outer ends of these channels are each filled with a solid block of material 7 preferably wood, which extends a suitable distance on either sideral2 the line of the rails S which are spiked thereon, and slightly above the sides of the channels. These blocks are secured in place in the channel members by means of spikes or lag screws 9.

It desired, in order to economize on wood,

r to make a heavier tie, the channels may be partially filled with concrete 10 or similar material, which may be poured therein and secured thereto by anchor bolts l1.

Small blocks of wood 12 would also be set into the concrete filling in alinement with the rails 8 and Jfor the same purpose as the blocks 7,-wood being the best material for the purpose, as it absorbsvibration and is elastic or spongy compared with steel or con crete.

Then the ties are laid in place on the road bed, and the usual crushed roch or gravel ballast tamped thereabout, some of the latter will be forced up into the open space formed by the cutting away of the bottoms of the channels. rfhis will materially aid in keeping the ties from moving sidewise and warping the track.

Also the tact that the two halves of the tie are hinged together on a horizontal line tends to lessen and destroy vibration, there is a certain amount of flexibility or give between the two rails.

From the foregoing description it will be lli) readily seen that I have produced such adevice as substantially fulfils the object of the inventiona's set forth herein.

lVhile this specification sets forth in tail the present and preferred construction ofthe device still in practice such deviations from such detail may be resorted to as do Y not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended claim.-

of said channels being cutfor a certain distance from the adjacent ends and turned up to form ears, the ears and ends on one channelinterloeking Withthose on the other7 a pivotal pin through such ends and ears, and blocks secured in the channels, such blocks terminating short' 'of the hinged ends and adapted to receive the rails thereon.

Intestimony Vwhereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

ROBERT H. SPENCER.

Vitnesses v BERNARD PRIVAL, FRANK H. CARTER.' 

